1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a so-called bull's eye target device that is a device used in matches, training, and games for firing pellets at a target from a position five to ten meters away using a match pistol or sports pistol.
A bull's eye target match is typified by a precision target match and is a match utilized in basic training by a large number of pistol marksmen. For example, a bull's eye target match in a precision target match known as the “APS cup in Japan” held ten years previously, is a competitive game where a competitor fires five pellets at a target over the course of two minutes, with this being repeated twice to obtain a points total.
The so-called bull's eye target used in the bull's eye target match is a disc-shaped target where a plurality of concentric rings of fixed widths go outwards from a so-called maximum points-scoring central part, and in the match a plurality of pellets are fired towards the target within a fixed period of time decided by the participants to get a points total. A higher number of points are then scored when a pellet hits concentric circles that are closer to the center.
In this bull's eye target game, in the event that a pellet touches a boundary line of the target, rather than the points being decided according to which boundary line is more impinged by the contact with the pellet so that the pellet makes contact with a larger surface area of one scoring circle, the points are taken to be that of the innermost boundary line with which contact is made even if the contact is slight, i.e. the higher points are adopted.
2. Description of the Background Art
Targets where the surface of the target is made of paper or pressure-sensitive paper are well-known as related art technology for bull's eye target devices (related art technology 1). In related art technology 1, the position of the surface of the target where the pellet makes an impact has a round trajectory. It is therefore convenient and accurate to determine whether or not a pellet has made contact with a boundary line.
Further, bulls eye target devices having, in addition to the target, connection lines connecting electrically with the target so as to enable points for pellets that impact the target to be displayed on a display unit using electrical signals are known (related art 2). Devices that are provided with pressure-sensitive sensors at the rear surface or front surface of a target that electrically conduct upon the impact of a pellet so as to enable the points for the portion where there has been an impact to be displayed on a display unit are also well-known as a bulls eye target device.
However, in the event of using a target with a surface made of paper or a target with a surface made of pressure-sensitive paper as in related art 1, there is no automatic display unit and it is therefore necessary for the points total etc. to be added up after the match by the participant themselves or by a judge.
Further, in related art 1, in the event that a match trainer is practicing in a room etc. or is a participant in a match, because the target is a long way away and cannot be seen clearly it is not possible for a participant to be aware of their current score and the total score therefore cannot be confirmed during a match.
Further, the target of related art 1 is made of paper. This means that pellet marks from a previous occasion cannot be removed which makes it difficult to discern the old pellet marks from the new pellet marks and makes repeated use of a target impossible.
Further, related art 2 has the advantage that, when a pellet impacts with the surface of the target, this pressure is sensed by a pressure sensor, converted to an electrical signal and sent to a display unit for displaying, so that the total number of points can be seen if a long enough cord is used to connect the target surface and the display unit. However, in related art 2, the pressure sensor may not correctly respond because the speed and strength with which the pellet impacts with the target surface is not fixed.
In related art 2, in the event that the pellet impacts with the boundary line of the target surface, the points for one side or the other are displayed but in this case the side of the pressure sensor that responds is displayed. Typically, when the contact range of the impact point is large, then a strong pressure is felt, which makes the likelihood of an incorrect points display that is different to reality high. For example, in the event that the impact range is more to the outside than the boundary line, then in a match it is necessary to adopt the higher points to the inside of the boundary line. However, in related art 2, the point where greater pressure is felt or where faster contact is made will be displayed giving a higher likelihood of the outer side where the points are lower being displayed. This therefore causes erroneous displaying and means that there is a problem where, because these are added up, erroneous displaying and erroneous operation occurs more easily as the number of impacts from shots increases, and the points total therefore also becomes inaccurate.